Yeah, he represents the very idea of the 90s anti-hero, that specific distorted sub-class of the archetypal hero, and how the same mentality behind it insists on stamping out light-heartedness and innocent fun.

"They had 500 experts lined up, thinking in harmony to streamline the Superman brand for maximum cross-spectrum, wide platform appeal. They built a violent, troubled, faceless anti-hero..." It's all very meta.